The presidential election marred by large-scale fraud on 9 August 2020, the drastic deterioration in the human rights situation in Belarus since then, particularly around the 2025 presidential elections, the political instrumentalisation of refugees and migrants by the Belarusian regime, and the support shown for Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine are putting a severe strain on bilateral relations with Germany and the European Union.

Against this backdrop, cooperation with state agencies in Belarus is reduced to a minimum. At the same time, the Federal Government has significantly increased its support for Belarusian civil society, including in the form of an action plan.

On the orders of the Belarusian authorities, the cultural organisations Goethe-Institut, German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and Central Agency for Schools Abroad have had to temporarily suspend their activities in the country. There are still close ties between Belarus and Germany in the civil-society sector, for example in the field of Chernobyl assistance or societal reconciliation against the background of Nazi crimes.

In 2024, bilateral trade with Germany amounted to approximately 1.7 billion euro.